Hands Across Canberra gives almost $200,000 to local charities

Cheryl O’Donnell, Executive Manager of Canberra Police Community Youth Club with the Chair of Hands Across Canberra, Diane Kargas.

The organisation set up to channel donations to local charities has handed out nearly $200,000 in grants that will help support Canberra’s most vulnerable people.

Hands Across Canberra said it had provided $197,497 to local charities in this year’s allocation after the board consulted widely to identify the areas of greatest need.

CEO Peter Gordon said Hands Across Canberra worked with about 150 ACT charities.

“We were thrilled to have so many exceptional grant applications this year. These distributions today are strategically directed to provide much-needed funds to charities making a significant impact across the ACT,” he said.

West Belconnen-based Canberra City Care hosted the grants announcement and is again a recipient after last year obtaining funding to establish vegetable gardens to provide additional food hampers for locals in need.

This year’s grant will contribute to the development of a much-needed kitchen at its Charnwood community facility.

Launched in November 2010, Hands Across Canberra says it encourages and provides a simple way for Canberrans to adopt more regular habits of philanthropy. Its portal gives Canberrans a cost-effective, flexible and financially secure vehicle to contribute to local charities and helps to keep the wealth created locally within the Canberra community.

Mr Gordon said Hands Across Canberra wanted Canberrans to think about being generous “right here in our own backyard”.

He said it was not just about fund raising but also capacity building and knowledge sharing.

Susan Helyar, Director of ACT Council of Social Service with the Chair of Hands Across Canberra, Diane Kargas.

Meg Richens, Executive Officer at UnitingCare Kippax with the Chair of Hands Across Canberra, Diane Kargas.

The chair of the Hands Across Canberra board, Diane Kargas, praised the Canberra construction community for its role in helping to generate the funds that have made the grants possible.

“The Master Builders Association and Renaissance Homes in particular worked with Hands Across Canberra on the Deakin Charity House project which resulted in a substantial contribution and we are seeing the benefits of that effort today,” Ms Kargas said.

The 2017 Grant Recipients are:

1. OzHarvest Canberra
2. YouthCARE Canberra
3. The Shepherd Centre
4. C3 Church Monash
5. Care Inc.
6. Cerebral Palsy Alliance
7. St Vincent De Paul Society
8. Canberra City Care
9. Council on the Ageing (COTA) ACT
10. The Early Morning Centre – The Uniting Church in Australia (ACT)
11. Technical Aid to the Disabled ACT Inc. (TADACT)
12. Canberra Police Community Youth Club Inc.
13. Friends of Brain Injured Children ACT Inc.
14. YWCA Canberra
15. Beryl Women Inc.
16. Lifeline Canberra
17. Uniting Care Kippax
18. The Deaf Society
19. Riding for the Disabled of the ACT (Pegasus)
20. Canberra Community Law
21. ACT Council of Social Service
22. Women’s Centre for Health Matters
23. EveryMan Australia

Organisations registered on the Hands Across Canberra website were eligible to apply for grants of up to $10,000, with grants of up to $25,000 available in exceptional circumstances.

Applicants must have been working in Canberra on social and community welfare.